12/13/2011: ALL of Phoebe's puppies are pending adoption! This is great news for these little babies. We appreciate the much larger than expected interest and have done our best to match up each puppy with the appropriate home. If we did not contact you, we absolutely appreciate your interest and hope that you'll take the time to look through some of our other available dogs or the dogs available with other shelters & rescue groups to find the perfect match for your family. Happy Holidays!

Phoebe and her puppies were rescued from a high kill dog pound in Virginia. Thanks to a couple magnificent volunteer drivers, we were able to have them transported here so they would be safe from euthanasia.

Phoebe is a catahoula leopard dog. We believe she is purebred and is on the small side at about 30 lbs. We can't be 100% certain of her puppy's mix but we believe they are mixed with Australian Shepard. They are beautiful, light eyed pups who will surely grow to be lovely medium sized dogs. We don't expect them to exceed 50 lbs. The puppies are about 5 weeks now and will be ready for adoption at 8 weeks- yes, right around Christmas time. However, these pups are not Christmas gifts & we ask you to read the passage below!

The pups are quite young and their personalities are slowly developing. They are sweet, playful and will certainly keep you amused for years to come. Popeye is the wise little man of the group. He watches his foster family constantly -just taking in what is happening around him. His little face can just make you melt! Popeye certainly gets his playtime in, but seems to be much more in tune with the people of the house. (Or maybe he is just looking forward to some yummy puppy mush?)

Puppies are a lot of work! Please be sure you are ready to commit to them for the next 10-15+ years. You must be willing to provide your puppy with proper training and socialization so they can grow into healthy, happy adults. If you are interested in adopting, you MUST visit our website and complete an adoption application for consideration! (www.buffalopugs.org) We are accepting applications now and will begin the screening process in advance, so at 8 weeks, our beautiful babies will be able to go home.

Dogs make terrible christmas gifts: Many dogs that come into our rescue were once cute little puppies that were gifts to family members. That cute little puppy grew up to be a peeing & chewing machine, that no one had time to obedience train or play with, and that no one really wanted in the first place. You may think that this won't happen to you - think again, we see this situation on a regular basis and it breaks our heart every time.

The decision to bring a dog into your family should be a family decision - not a surprise gift. Everyone, including the children, should educate themselves on different breeds of dogs and decide what breed or mixed breed would fit best into the family's lifestyle. You, as the adult in the household, will be responsible for this pet - not your children. Children's interest come and go, including their interest in caring for a dog. You must be willing to accept this responsibility for yourself, which is another reason not give the gift of a dog to your children. Also, you must be willing to care for this dog for the next 10-15 years - where will your children be in 10-15 years?

Instead of buying that cute little puppy as a gift, buy the gift of knowledge. Give gifts of books and videos on rescuing, puppmills, training and caring for a dog. These gifts are a wonderful way to introduce the joys of pet ownership and will help you all decide on the perfect dog to bring into your family - a decision that ALL of you should make together.